


Somewhere

by stellarose



Series: SuperLegends WWII [2]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - World War II, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, AvaLance, Comfort/Angst, Established Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Established Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Sara Lance, Insecure Ava Sharpe, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lex Luthor Being an Asshole, Past Alex Danvers/Sara Lance, Protective Alex Danvers, Protective Kara Danvers, Protective Sara Lance, Sara Lance Needs a Hug, Soft Sara Lance, SuperCorp, protective Ava Sharpe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23440171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarose/pseuds/stellarose
Summary: With new friends and a satisfying new job at Bletchley Park, Lena Luthor is very happy. But a startling letter threatens to take away everything she's found, and, despite confiding in Kara, Lena doesn't know what to do without putting her friends in danger.Meanwhile, Alex Danvers receives an unexpected request for help from a stranger, and when talking things over with Kara, the two begin to suspect that there may be a connection between Lena's threatening letter and the disappearance Sara Lance.
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Ava Sharpe, Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers & Sara Lance, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Series: SuperLegends WWII [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686250
Comments: 5
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, etc.
> 
> I am also uploading this on Fanfiction.net
> 
> Please read, reply, leave kudos and enjoy! Your patronage is very much appreciated.
> 
> This is a follow-up to "Stop The World". You don't have to have read it to understand what's going on here, but it will help.

It had been the most beautiful summer evening for Lena’s walk home. She didn’t mind working later shifts when it meant walking home with the sky above full of pinks and oranges. Lena’s faithful spaniel, Caoimhe, met her at the door with a wagging tail, desperate for pats from her mistress.

“At least you’ve had your dinner,” Lena said, placing her bag on the entrance table, hanging up her hat, and giving her dog a hug. “Did Aine take you for a nice walk today? It was a lovely day. I’m guessing there’s a plate in the dining room? Come on, Caoimhe,” Lena said, Caoimhe at her heels as she went into the small dining room. It was half of the size of the dining room in her house at Luthorsport, and a fraction of the size of the one in the manor house in which she’d grown up, but never in her life had Lena Luthor felt more needed than when she’d arrived in Bletchley six months ago.

Lena had been fortunate in finding a comfortable house with a good backyard and decent kitchen in the village of Bletchley, both wealth and connections helping in this regard. She’d brought Caoimhe, her housekeeper Aine, and six trunks of clothing, books and assorted goods with her across the Irish Sea. Though Lena had had every intention of returning to Luthorsport for a couple of weeks during the summer, work had kept her too busy, and it was too vital that she stayed. They were making such progress, and it was too exciting and stimulating to leave behind for a sojourn to the remote corner of Ireland Lena called home. Lena had never felt so needed and so wanted in her life. Her methodical and mathematical brain was perfectly suited to the work. Perhaps at Christmas she’d have some leave.

Plus there was her new friends in London. It was these friends Lena cared most for, Alexandra and Kara Danvers, who had shown up quite literally out of the sea after a big storm in Luthorsport earlier in the year, and their friend Sara Lance who was the bravest and most reckless woman Lena had met.

But it was Kara in particular with whom Lena had a special bond. She didn’t know what to call it; she didn’t even know if there was a word. Lena managed monthly trips to London to visit her friends, her accountant, and Fortnum and Mason’s for some decent supplies. Lena loved the lunches or dinners with her friends. She’d never had friends before; people she knew she could rely on, laugh with, be in open confidence with. Friends like that had only ever been for other people, usually fictional characters in books.

Kara came to Bletchley as often as she could, which was sadly only a few times a month at best, but those were the best days of the month. Kara was awkward and emotional and simultaneously excellent and terrible at keeping secrets. She was beautiful and brave and kind. She was also Supergirl, someone that Lena had once thought was just a British propaganda character, but turned out to be a real, brilliant girl with amazing powers from another world, who had fallen to earth as a child and was adopted by the Danvers family. Lena smiled while thinking of Kara. Hopefully in the next few days Kara would arrive on her doorstep, her hair blown from the wind, cheeks flushed, grinning. Lena bit her lip. Though she’d never say as much out loud, she was quite in love with Kara Danvers.

Lena sat down at the table and took the plate cover off her meal. Caoimhe rested her head on Lena’s lap, hoping for a few bites. The meal was lukewarm, but Lena didn’t mind. She’d hardly eaten all day, and Aine worked wonders with the rations. All too soon her plate was empty, and she let Caoimhe have a little lick. What Aine didn’t see wouldn’t hurt her. Lena stretched back and noticed a letter tucked under the plate. She seldom received mail here; very people knew her home address, and any official correspondence from her accountant or lawyers was directed to the Post Office in Oxford.

Lena picked up the the envelope and immediately recognised the handwriting. She took a few deep breaths to try and stop her dinner from making a reappearance before tearing the envelope open and pulling out the letter. She placed it down on the table, and had to force herself to focus on the words.

_Dear Lena,_

_I know where you are and I know what you’re doing. You should have stayed at home._

_I know who your friends are. I know what they do. You should have kept away._

_I know that the younger Miss Danvers is biological cousins with my old pal Mr Kent. What a surprise that is! And you_ _chose_ _to be her friend?_

_Yours affectionately,_

_Lex._

_…_

“Doctor Danvers?”

Alex just wanted to go home. It had been a long day, long week, long month. It was already dark and she was tired and had been on her feet for hours and just wanted to inhale any food and go to sleep. She decided to ignore whoever was calling her. Her shift had officially ended three hours ago. Surely it got to the point when she was allowed not to hear.

“Doctor Danvers? Please, Doctor Danvers,” the woman followed after Alex and placed her hand on Alex’s arm.

Alex stopped. She was aware that she slumped her shoulders. She closed her eyes and turned back to the woman. “Yes?” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too abrupt. She opened her eyes, expecting to see a nurse or a secretary, but the woman was in pristine naval uniform, with shiny buttons, her hair pulled back into a tight bun, her hat perfectly placed. No doubt from the Admiralty offices. Alex was aware that she looked like a wreck in comparison.

“You are Doctor Alexandra Danvers?”

“Alex is fine,” Alex said by way of confirmation.

The woman swallowed. Despite her perfect posture and neutral expression, there was something in her eyes that told Alex that something was very wrong.

“Kara…” Alex breathed, feeling as though she’d been stabbed in the stomach with an ice-pick.

“Who?” the woman asked. “Oh, you mean Lieutenant Danvers.”

Alex felt confused. Why would anyone in uniform come and find her at work if it wasn’t about Kara? “Wh - you’re not here about Kara?”

“No,” the woman said. “Doctor Danvers, Alex. I have a car waiting. I can drive you home. Please, there’s something I - I’m…”

“All right,” Alex said, too tired to argue and happy enough for a free ride home. She followed the lady outside to the vehicle waiting outside. The driver held the door open and Alex climbed inside, with the woman behind her. The driver closed the door. The car smelt strongly of leather polish, and Alex knew she’d ever been in a car this nice.

“I believe you know Captain Sara Lance,” the woman said.

“Yes,” Alex said, suddenly very unsure as to where this was going. The driver started the engine and pulled out into the quiet street. There was still the occasional air-raid, but nothing compared to a few months ago. Tonight the sirens were silent. “She’s a friend.”

“I know. She’s a - friend - of mine also,” the woman said awkwardly.

“Oh. Sorry, I missed your name,” Alex said, fully aware that the woman had never offered it.

“Agent Ava Sharpe,” she said and pursed her lips before continuing. “I believe you know what Captain Lance does? Her job, I mean?”

“Yes,” Alex said, getting the feeling that Agent Sharpe was more than just a secretary. “More or less.”

Agent Sharpe nodded. Alex assumed that she knew a lot more than she was letting on, about Sara, about Alex, possibly even about Kara. Despite the dark, Alex could see that she was breathing heavily. Agent Sharpe was clearly trying not to cry.

“Captain Lance is missing.”

“Oh?” Alex said, wishing she had something more useful to say, and hoping to prompt the Agent for more information.

“You don’t understand,” Agent Sharpe continued, lowering her voice, though Alex guessed that the driver had heard much juicier conversations than this one. “She’s missing in France. It was supposed to be a 24-hour in-and-out mission, but she - Captain Lance failed to show up at the rendezvous point.”

“When was this?” Alex asked, feeling a cold sweat come over her. Sara was smart, but the sort of smart that thought running into burning buildings was quite an all right idea if it meant saving someone. She wasn’t like Kara with the superpowers to get herself out, but she did it anyway. As far as Alex knew, there wasn’t a weapon Sara didn’t know how to use, including her looks as well as more traditional arsenal, and right now wasn’t sure if that made matters better or worse. 

“Four days ago. She’s never missed a rendezvous before. I don’t know what to do. I can’t send anyone in to find her. I have taken this as far as I can, but no one is willing to send more resources after one missing _femme fatale_. I - I don’t know what to do. I can’t lose her, Alex. I can’t…” Agent Sharpe’s voice cracked.

Alex reached across the seat and took the Agent’s hand, having no idea what she was supposed to do to help. 


	2. Chapter 2

“And you’re sure you’ll be all right?” Kara asked, her hands resting on Lena’s shoulders, giving them a comforting squeeze.

Lena looked up at Kara. As soon as she’d processed the contents of the letter and felt able to speak, she’d telephoned Kara, and within minutes Kara was at her door. “I have to be,” Lena said, forcing a smile. Caoimhe stood beside them, her tail thumping against the wall as she wagged it. 

Kara looked at Lena’s red, tear-filled eyes. She had offered a number of times to stay the night, but Lena didn’t think there was any immediate threat. Kara had listened to Lena talk herself into believing she was overreacting, that Lex was bluffing, that the letter was just a good forgery, but neither of them really believed that.

“I’ll call you in the morning,” Kara said, pulling Lena into a hug.

Lena let herself relax into Kara’s strong arms. She wanted Kara to stay. To hold her while she fell asleep, to wake up with Caoimhe lying between them. They’d laugh and shoo the dog off the bed, then cuddle before heading downstairs for breakfast.

“I want to come to London as soon as I can. I need a change of scenery. Too many secrets and conspiracies here that I only know the half of,” Lena mumbled, taking in the smell of Kara’s hair and perfume, holding her for as long as she could.

“I miss you already,” Kara said, also not wanting to let go, but knowing that if she didn’t she’d be here all night. “You’ll look after Lena, won’t you Caoimhe?” Kara said, bobbing down to give the dog a hug. “Yes, you’re the best guard dog for your mistress. You’re such a good girl.”

“I’d never betray you,” Lena said quietly, looking down at Kara fussing over her dog.

Kara kept her eyes on Caoimhe. She felt bad that Lena even felt she needed to say that. “I know,” Kara said.

“Any of you. Or this country or - ”

“I know,” Kara repeated, standing up. She took Lena by the hands. “Lena, we will figure how Lex knows you’re here, how legitimate the threats are - ”

“He’s going to use kryptonite…”

“Lena, look at me,” Kara said. Lena lifted her eyes to meet Kara’s. “Why tip us off if he wants to hurt us? Why not just do it? He’s doing this to mess with you. To scare you. Don’t let him scare you, Lena, or he already wins.”

Lena nodded. “Call me before work.”

“Will do. Try to get some sleep.” Kara leant forward and gave Lena a peck on the lips. “Goodnight, Lena. Goodnight, Caoimhe.”

“Goodnight, Kara,” Lena said, but Kara was already gone, the familiar gust of wind of Kara flying out the door momentarily filling the room.

Within minutes, Kara landed in the alleyway a block away from the building where she and Alex lived, and a couple of minutes later she was unlocking the door. “Alex?” Kara called, closing the door behind her, tucking lose strands of hair behind her ears having glanced her wind-blown hair in the hall mirror.

“Where the hell have you been?” Alex asked, appearing before Kara in the entrance hall, as though she too had super-speed.

“Wh - who’s here?” Kara asked, peering over Alex’s shoulder.

“Agent Ava Sharpe,” Alex whispered.

“Who?”

“Where have you been?” Alex repeated.

“Lena called.”

“Why?”

“She got a mysterious threatening letter supposedly from Lex,” Kara said. “She’s all shaken up about it. Who is Agent Sharpe?”

“She’s from Naval Intelligence, apparently. She knows - well, pretty much everything. All about us, about you.”

“She knows I’m Supergirl?”

“When I say she knows pretty much everything…” Alex said.

“Why is she here?” Kara asked, trying to have a better look at the Agent. She was holding a cup of tea in both hands, hat sitting on the kitchen table, jacket draped over the back of the chair. Her shoulders were hunched over as though she was carrying the weight of the world. “Alex,” Kara said, “What’s happened?”

Alex pursed her lips and looked askance. Saying it would make it real. “Sara Lance in missing.”

“I’ll go find her,” Kara said automatically.

Alex shook her head. “It’s not that easy. Come and meet Ava.”

“We’re already calling her ‘Ava’?”

“Agent Sharpe,” Alex said, pulling Kara into their small sitting-cum-dining room, “This is my sister, Kara Danvers.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Ava said, putting down her cup and standing up to shake Kara’s hand.

Kara approved of Ava’s firm grasp, and noticed the thinly veiled heartbreak in her face. “I get the feeling it could have been under better circumstances?” Kara said.

Alex poured them all another cup of tea.

“Alex told you about Sara?”

“That she’s missing?” Kara asked, noticing that Ava’s voice cracked as she said Sara’s name.

Ava gave a nod and picked up her cup. She stared at the liquid without drinking. “For four days. In France. She could be just about anywhere on the continent by now. Instructions are to head south or for the Spanish border if you can, but we have no idea why she missed the rendezvous…”

“I could find her,” Kara said.

Ava shook her head. “You are much too valuable, Lieutenant Danvers, and we’d never get the permission. Believe me, I’ve already tried.”

“Call me Kara, please,” Kara said, offering Ava a kind smile.

Ava sighed heavily, forcing back tears.

“If you don’t think we can help,” Alex asked cautiously, “Why did you find me?”

“Because I had to tell someone,” Ava confessed. “I am out of ideas and I can’t keep doing this alone. Sara has told me so much about you two, and - and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Kara reached out and put her hand on Ava’s, a quick glance and nod from Alex confirming what she suspected. “We will do anything we can to help. Sara is an wonderful friend and - ”

“She’s an idiot. Utter moron,” Ava said, her voice thick as she fought back tears. “Reckless, self-destructive, abrasive, selfish, refuses to follow orders. Whoever died and decided to commission her I don’t know but -I really am much too fond of her. I want her home, as safely as possible. I just - there’s not many people like her, and people like me…”

“You’re not alone,” Kara said as Ava trailed off.

“Doesn’t Sara have her own team at the SOE?” Alex asked. “I’ve met Doctor Palmer. He’s a lovely gentleman. Sergeant Rory leaves a bit to be desired though.”

“Sara has gathered up or had forced upon her the most inept band of people imaginable,” Ava said. “Doctor Palmer is a gentleman, knows everything is his field and has a charming wife, but lives in fairytale land. Sergeant Rory is a pyromaniac and thief. Professor Heywood is as interesting as his flat feet which disclude him from active service. Mr Constantine is positively certifiable. Section Officer Tomaz might be a brilliant engineer pinched from the WAAFs, but she’s completely lacking in courtesy, charm and manners.”

“They don’t make great first impressions, but Sara seems to make the team work,” Kara said, who had met Sara’s team a number times over the past few months.

“Do they know about you and Sara?” Alex asked gently.

“Sara is not nearly as subtle as she should be,” Ava said by way of reply.

“Oh, I know,” Alex said, taking a sip of tea.

“Do they know she’s missing?” Kara asked.

Ava shrugged. “If so, they’re keeping quiet. I’ve been trying catch any chatter, anything from the Free French codes, Vichy codes, German codes, but there’s been nothing. We know the Gestapo have a price on Sara’s head, so I think we’d know if they got her.”

“What’s her codename?” Kara asked, thinking she could ask Lena to look into this at Bletchley.

“White Canary,” Ava answered.

“Kara?” Alex said, looking at her sister, who suddenly looked very pale.

“ _I know who your friends are and I know what they do,”_ Kara recited, her stomach tight.

“What?” Alex asked.

“The letter,” Kara said, looking intently at Alex. “Lena’s letter. What if…”

Alex shook her head. “Kara, please…”

Ava looked between the sisters. “What letter?”

“Kara, it’s a coincidence. It has to be.”

“Lena’s not going to see it like that. She needs to know.”

“Is this Lena Luthor you’re talking about?” Ava asked.

“I’ll talk to Lena, and to H. See if he know’s anything,” Kara said. They had no idea what Lex was planning or exactly what he was capable of, but targeting Sara seemed within reason.

“I’m sorry Agent Sharpe, it’s getting late and we all have to work in the morning,” Alex said.

Ava put down her cup and stood up. “I’m sorry if I’ve overstayed my welcome,” she said, putting on her hat and jacket.

“No, it’s not - there’s a reason I was home so late,” Kara said, “But I - we’ll be in touch, you have my word. Sara’s tough. She’s a fighter. Wherever she is, whatever’s happened, you have to believe that she’s fighting and doing everything she can to get back.”

“If she gets back, I’ll kill her myself,” Ava mumbled, fastening the buttons on her jacket. “Thank-you for the tea, Doctor Danvers. Lieutenant. I can see myself out.”

The sisters stood awkwardly side-by-side as Ava left their flat.

“What do we do?” Kara asked.

Alex sighed and sat back down. “I don’t know. She said earlier that Sara’s been living with her for a couple of weeks. The building behind Sara’s was bombed back in April, and they’ve finally got around to checking the structural integrity of Sara’s building, and Ava had a spare room.”

“But I’d bet that’s where Sara’s keeping her things, not where she’d sleeping,” Kara smirked, sitting down beside Alex. “I thought Sara had seemed rather happy about something for the past month or so. And Ava seems to really like her. She’s tightly wound at the moment, but I think she really does care.”

Alex nodded. “It does seem that the good Captain is a kept woman.”

“A kept woman who regularly runs off to France on extremely dangerous missions.”

“Nothing will stop Sara from doing what she does. She’s a perfect fit at the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Alex raised her eyebrows.

Kara sighed. “But if it is connected, Lena’s letter and Sara’s disappearance…”

“I think we both need to get some sleep,” Alex said. “Speculating when tired isn’t going to help.”

“Why are you always right?” Kara yawned, standing up.

“I’m not sure I was right about sending Agent Sharpe home,” Alex confessed.

“And I’m not sure I was right to leave Lena.”

“She was that upset?” Alex asked.

Kara nodded. “Damn you, Lex Luthor,” she muttered under her breath. “What have you done to us now?”


	3. Chapter 3

“Agent Sharpe! Agent Shaaaaarpe!”

“For goodness sake, Mr Green,” Ava said, looking up from the morning dossiers on her desk. It was still early, and Ava liked to read through the morning paperwork and even a newspaper or two before the rest of her co-workers sauntered it. Besides, anywhere was better than home right now. For the past couple of weeks since Sara had been staying with her, Ava had been coming and going from the office at more ‘regular’ hours, but these past few days she had fallen back into her old routine. She had no reason to hang around in the morning, to make breakfast, to sip her tea and scan through the newspapers in the sun-drenched kitchen. No reason to rush home, no need to make dinner, or concern herself with making the bed or just being there for anyone.

Mr Green seemed to keep similar hours to Ava, but for the reason that he was wholly dedicated to his job, rather than running away from heartbreak or loneliness. Just as Ava had before meeting Sara Lance.

“But Agent Sharpe,” Mr Green continued, out of breath from running the whole way from the post room to her office. “I’ve got - ”

“This is Admiralty House, not Prep School. One does not run about bellowing down the corridors,” Ava admonished her subordinate.

“But Agent Sharpe,” Mr Green said, holding out a telegram. “This is urgent.”

Ava snatched the telegram, suddenly unable to speak. She sat back down and stared for a moment at the envelope, addressed to:

_Agent Sharpe_

_Admiralty House_

_Whitehall_

_LONDON_

Ava opened and read it:

_White Canary flown home overnight. Nesting at West Green._

“Umm, Agent Sharpe? Are - are you all right?”

Ava remembered to breath, relief surging through her body. She pulled out her handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. The telegram had been sent from Gatwick Post Office that morning, courtesy of someone at the RAF base there. “Get me a train timetable for South Eastern, and some breakfast from the cafeteria. Black coffee. Toast and butter.”

“Agent Sharpe, I - are you sure everything is all right?” Agent Green asked.

Ava smiled, her first proper smile for days. Sara was back. Somehow, miraculously, she’d found her way home. “Yes,” Ava said, fighting to keep her composure, “Best it’s been all week.”

…

Kara needed the fill the silence in the compartment on the train. She wished that Alex had been able to get the afternoon off as well, but alas it was just Kara and Agent Sharpe on the train. Agent Sharpe with her tight bun, perfectly set hat, tight jaw, and buttons on her uniform so brightly polished that they threatened to blind Kara every time the caught the sunlight. At least having a compartment to themselves allowed Kara to talk with censoring herself. She told Agent Sharpe about crossing the Atlantic with Alex to get to Britain, how she and Alex got their jobs, meeting Sara, saving Sara during the height of the Blitz, Barry Allen’s wedding, ending up in Luthorsport in January and meeting Lena Luthor.

Ava Sharpe didn’t say much; Kara wasn’t even sure she was paying attention. Kara glanced out the window as the countryside whizzed by. The coded telegram from Agent Sharpe informing her that Sara was in a hospital near Gatwick had been sitting on her desk when Kara had arrived at work. Kara had frantically called Lena, called Alex who’d received the same message, called Agent Sharpe, called H for permission to go with the Agent to see Sara. Kara didn’t want Ava to go alone, and H knew he’d never hear the end of it if he didn’t let Kara go.

Kara launched into a ten-minute monologue about Alex’s many and varied attributes, to which Agent Sharpe was either completely absorbed in or ignoring completely, and Kara was finding it hard to tell. Kara had a quick look at her watch, certain they must be getting close.

“I can stop talking, if you’d like,” Kara said sheepishly.

Agent Sharpe shrugged. “We’re not far off. No point stopping now.”

Kara wasn’t sure if she was being insulted. “Sorry, it’s just I - ”

“Cope by talking? It’s fine, honestly. I am rather used to endless chatter as background noise.”

Kara raised her eyebrows, still not sure if she was being insulted.

“I come from a very large family,” Agent Sharpe explained. “I’m twelfth of 16 children, so…”

“That is a large family,” Kara said, in awe.

“It’s noisy, that’s for sure. Everyone knows at least some of the Sharpes of Southend-on-Sea. I don’t know if it helps or not that we’re all very clearly related. And with eleven girls and five boys, there’s no escaping being recognised. Some have slightly darker or lighter or redder hair. A couple have green eyes, three have blue, the rest of us have grey.”

“I only have Alex,” Kara said. “And well, being adopted… sometimes I wish we did look more alike.”

Ava gave a small smile. “I need to apologise to Alex. Stalking her like that last night, I think I scared her. I - ” Ava sighed, her shoulders drooping, “I’m just so worried. If I lose Sara…”

“We’re going too see her now. She’ll be all right.”

“We don’t know what state she’s in,” Ava said, swallowing back tears, her relief from having found out Sara was back and alive having morphed into a new set of fears.

Kara reached forward to take Ava’s hand. “Sara’s strong. She got herself back from France. Besides, you’ve got all that family to support you and…”

Ava shook her head. “They’re not like you and Alex. I - I have all those sisters, but I couldn’t talk about any of them the way you just did about Alex. They don’t know about Sara. They don’t know that I - that I’m like that. They can’t. I - I can’t ever tell them.”

“I understand,” Kara said, giving Ava’s hand a squeeze. All that family, and no one to confide in. “Really. You’re not alone now. You have me and Alex. And Sara. She will be all right.”

“You can’t promise that.”

Kara caught Ava’s gaze, “Whatever happens, you’re not alone. Not anymore.”

…

Lena felt ill. She’d hardly slept, had barely touched her breakfast, feeding most of it to Caoimhe, and had forced down half a cup of tea. Then Kara had called. Lena was grateful that she hadn’t eaten much, because on hearing that Sara was missing, she only would have brought it back up again.

After Kara’s first phone call, Lena had sat on the floor against the wall in her bedroom for a good ten minutes, unable to get up or dressed or ready for work. Somehow, she’d forced herself up. She didn’t remember getting ready, but just as she was about to leave for work, the phone rang again. Sara had returned. She was in hospital and Kara didn’t know in what condition, but she was back.

Lena went to work. She couldn’t read, couldn’t focus. She avoided talking to anyone. It took all of her strength just to stay composed. Shoulders back, chest forward, tummy in, chin up. Don’t let them see you looking weak, don’t let them see you hurting, don’t let them see you cry.

It was all her fault. Sara Lance was hurt and in hospital and it was all Lena’s fault. Somehow, Lex had known where Sara was, and had set some Gestapo goons after her. That had to have been what happened. It was a warning shot. Sara was the first target. Would he go for Alex or Kara next? Send an air-raid over Bletchley? The threats in the letter were real. Lex was going to hurt everyone she loved, everyone she cared about. He was going to ruin her, all because she was happy. For the first time in her life, Lena was truly happy. Or she had been, until she opened that damned letter.

Kara had tried telling Lena that Sara’s disappearance had nothing to do with Lex or the letter, and even if it did, it wasn’t Lena’s fault. But Lena knew better. Any time she got close to having anything she really wanted, to being happy, to doing what she loved, Lex was always there to break it or take it or pull it apart. Always. And this was the same. It had to be. It was too much of a coincidence.

“Miss Luthor?”

Lena looked up.

“I hate to pry, but are you feeling quite well, miss? You’ve come over all pale,” Miss Nal said. Lena noticed a few other people in her hut giving her furtive glances. Miss Nal either drew the short straw or volunteered to confront Lena.

“Actually, I think I have a migraine coming on,” Lena said.

“Perhaps you should go home, miss.”

“Yes,” Lena said, hardly aware of her surrounds. She needed to be home. She needed Kara to call and tell her that Sara was going to be all right. She needed Kara to hold her. Lena found herself outside the hut, with her hat on and coat over her arm. She just had to make it home. Kara would call. Kara would come. Lex couldn’t hurt her. Lex was bluffing. It was all a bad dream.

Lena fumbled with the keys and stumbled inside, not remembering the walk home.

“Is that you, Miss Luthor?” Aine called from the kitchen.

“I’m not feeling well, Aine,” Lena called back, hanging up her hat and coat out of habit.

“Would you like a cup of tea or anything, miss?”

“No, I just need to go to bed,” Lena called, “You can let Caoimhe up. And call me immediately if either of the Miss Danverses calls or shows up.”

“Of course, miss.”

Lena forced herself upstairs to her bedroom. The windows were open and a pleasant breeze blew in. Lena kicked off her shoes, unbuttoned her dress and removed her earrings. She climbed onto the bed, and hugged one of the spare pillows, feeling sick to the stomach, wishing it was Kara, and wishing Lex didn’t know how to torture her so perfectly.


	4. Chapter 4

“Agent Sharpe and Lieutenant Danvers, to see Captain Lance,” Ava said briskly to the nurse in the small but neat reception area at the community hospital at West Green, just outside of Gatwick.

The nurse looked up and down at the two women in uniform. Kara gave a friendly smile, hoping to counterbalance Ava’s stern expression. Since alighting the train, Ava had put back up the guards she’d lowered ever so slightly to let Kara in, and Kara now knew that Ava’s serious exterior was just a front, hiding the fear and worry swirling inside her.

“We got word you’d be coming,” the nurse said. “If you’ll follow me. Captain Lance is in one of the isolation rooms.”

“Is she poorly?” Ava asked as they followed the nurse up the stairs, their shoes clacking against the tiled floor.

“All things being relative, not particularly, though she is still asleep. We didn’t want to put her in with the women for fear of causing a stir, and we certainly couldn’t put her in the men’s ward. Here we are,” the nurse said, stopping outside a door. She opened it and let Kara and Ava in. “Come find me if you need anything. It isn’t currently visiting time, but I believe this is a unique situation?”

“Yes, thank-you,” Kara said, and the nurse shut the door behind them.

Sunlight streamed into the small, stuffy isolation room. Kara opened the windows to let some air in. Ava couldn’t take her eyes off Sara, asleep on the bed in the middle of the room.

“It smells very strongly of starch and bleach,” Kara said, feeling the need to fill the silence. Everything in the room was impeccably clean and sterile.

Ava didn’t respond. She walked tentatively over to the bed. Sara’s complexion was a white as the sheets other than her cheeks which were flushed red, and her right arm was in a sling.

“Ava?” Kara almost said that she’s seen Sara looking worse, as Sara wasn’t currently covered in blood and dust and none of her limbs were hanging at unnatural angles, but quickly decided that that wouldn’t be very helpful.

Ava stood by Sara’s bedside, afraid any sudden movements might make her disappear. Kara picked up the clipboard at the end of Sara’s bed, and wished Alex was there to decipher the scribbly handwriting.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ava asked, swallowing hard.

“Umm, it might as well be written in Arabic,” Kara said, picking up the occasional word, but feeling frustrated at the amount of acronyms and and abbreviations. “I think she had a dislocated shoulder? Or broken shoulder? And I think that word is ‘laceration’, but I’m not sure and I can’t read where it is. Alex would know.”

“Alex isn’t here,” Ava snapped.

“I know,” Kara said, trying not to feel hurt. Ava was angry because she was scared, Kara reminded herself. It wasn’t personal. She put the clipboard back. “How about I go and find us some lunch? We should have got something on the train - ”

“Just go,” Ava said.

Kara looked at her.

Ava closed her eyes, not knowing where to look. “Please.”

“I’ll be back you soon,” Kara said, letting herself out of the room.

Ava clenched her teeth to stop herself from crying. She didn’t want to be alone, but she knew she kept saying all the wrong things to Kara too. She was only trying to help. She was Sara’s friend too. She was Supergirl. Why wasn’t she the one in France getting beaten up by Nazis? Ava bit her lip. It was all too much. She picked up Sara’s left hand. It was clammy and hot.

“I really need to talk to you,” Ava said, brushing a few loose strands of hair off Sara’s forehead, which also felt hot. “I - I’m so lost, Sara. I’ve never felt like this. I made it through the Blitz, dammit, and never felt like this. You go missing for five nights and I completely fall apart. I’m being rude to Miss Danvers who only means to help. I can’t sleep, I can barely eat. I’ve been drowning myself in work to fight off the feeling that you were gone and there was nothing I can do and there’s still nothing I can do and - ”

“Shhh….” Sara hushed, and blinked as she opened her eyes.

“Sara!” Ava choked.

“Hi,” Sara breathed, forcing her eyes to focus. She mumbled something but the only word Ava understood was “Ava.”

“Let me get you a drink,” Ava said, letting go of Sara’s hand and pouring a glass of water from the jug beside the bed. Ava knelt down to lift Sara’s head up with one hand, holding the glass to her lips with the other. Sara finished the glass, not worried about spilling some down her front. Ava gently lowered Sara’s head, then found a towel to wipe up the water.

“You sure you haven’t done any nursing, Agent Sharpe?” Sara said, her words slightly slurred, and gave a weak smile.

Ava stammered.

“Get a chair,” Sara mumbled, lifting her head to take in the sterile room. “Sit down.”

Ava pulled one of the white-painted wicker chairs that was against the opposite wall up to the bed. Sara turned her hand over so her palm faced upright for Ava to take.

“You look terrible,” Sara said.

“You’re one to talk.”

“I’ve got an excuse.”

“So do I,” said Ava. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Oh,” Sara said, squeezing Ava’s hand as hard as she could, which was frustratingly little. “I’m pretty hard to kill.”

“Please don’t joke about it,” Ava said.

“Don’t have much choice. I’m on a lot of pain killers and the anaesthetic hasn’t worn off and…”

“You’re high,” Ava said, half a laugh escaping.

“There’s my girl,” Sara said, smiling as Ava did.

“Your girl,” Ava breathed. With the sun on her back, Ava was getting quite warm. She took off her jacket and hat and rolled up her shirt sleeves. Sara watched as though it was the most fascinating and beautiful thing in the world.

“You really couldn’t sleep?” Sara asked.

Ava shook her head. She took Sara’s hand again and kissed it. “You will be all right?” Ava asked.

Sara gave an awkward half-shrug. “I’ve had worse.”

“That’s not encouraging. The paperwork says you have a dislocated shoulder.”

“Had. It went back in. It’s all swollen though. Doesn’t hurt much currently, thanks to my good friend Mr Morphine.”

“And something about a laceration?”

“Oh yeah. Not sure what that looks like now.”

“Where?” Ava asked, making circles on the back of Sara’s hand with her thumb.

“Side and stomach. Right side.”

“What happened?”

“Not now,” Sara breathed, fighting to keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to lose sight of Ava sitting in the sun in her shirt sleeves.

Ava sighed. “Later, though?”

“Later,” Sara promised.

Ava leant down, placing her head in Sara’s lap. Sara smiled, letting go of Ava’s hand to stoke her hair. Ava closed her eyes, placing her arm across Sara’s legs, feeling the curve of her thigh and hips. “I was so worried. You scared me half to death, Miss Lance.”

“I’m back now,” Sara said, closing her eyes and enjoying Ava’s weight against her legs. Sara continued stroking Ava’s hair. “I’m right here. And we’re gunna be all right.”

…

Kara and Ava spent a couple of hours with Sara, before the nurse firmly told them that visiting time had now come and gone, and no amount of protest was going to allow them to stay longer. Kara escorted Ava home. Neither said much on the train ride back to London, both lost in their own thoughts.

“Thank-you for coming with me,” Ava said, standing outside her townhouse. “I know I don’t often make for the best company, but - ”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kara smiled, putting her hand on Ava’s arm.

“I wish I could stay there. Visit her every day. I’m not going to be able to get down there tomorrow, maybe not even the day after. We don’t know when she’ll be discharged and…” Ava trailed off and sighed.

“Sara understands,” Kara said. “I think she would have come home today if she’d been allowed.”

“She’s not well.”

“She’s recovering.”

Ava bit her lip. The sun had disappeared behind the rows of houses, and the sky was full of orange and pink clouds. “God, I hate this part.”

“The waiting?”

Ava nodded.

“I really do get it,” Kara said. “This part. When Alex was sick… at least we know Sara’s in good hands. She’s safe.”

“She’s alive.”

“Yeah,” Kara smiled.

“I’m sorry, I should invite you in. There’s not much food but I can make us a cup of tea and I know there’s some biscuits and - ”

“I have to go,” Kara said. “I need to see Lena.”

“Oh. Is she in London?”

“No, I - umm, I’ll fly…”

“Oh.”

Kara smiled. “It’s dark enough, I won’t be noticed. But maybe tomorrow evening for the biscuits and tea? Force you to leave the office at a reasonable hour.”

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Ava said.

“Mind if I invite Alex?”

“Not at all,” Ava said, realising just how completely Sara Lance had upturned her life. Ava never had people around for tea.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Try and get some sleep. I know it’s not Sara’s lap, but - ”

Ava blushed. “I’ll try. And I can’t believe I nodded off lying like that and that you walked in on us.”

Kara laughed. “It happens to the best of us.”

“See you tomorrow. Oh, and Kara? What I said last night about Sara’s team? I - they’re not all bad. Maybe don’t mention it to Sara.”

“I won’t,” Kara said. “But you weren’t entirely wrong either. Honestly, she’d probably just laugh and agree with you. I saw you two. She may have got herself stuck in France, but I think the whole time she was fighting to get back to you.”

Ava nodded, still finding it hard to accept that someone like Sara Lance would fall in love with someone like her. “Do you think what happen is in relation to the letter?”

Kara sighed, tucking her hands into her pockets. “I want to say no, but I just don’t know. Until Sara can debrief properly and… it’s probably worth looking into regardless.”

“Agreed,” Ava said. “And as much as I am loath to admit it, I think Sara’s team are just the people for the job.”

“I’d though that too,” Kara said.

“I suppose you’d best be off?” Ava said, half wanting Kara to stay, finding the chipper women easier and easier to talk to.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ll bring some strawberries. Have a good night!”

“Goodnight,” Ava said, letting herself in.

Kara wandered down the street, finding a quiet laneway in which to fly off from. Within minutes she was in Bletchley, hovering above Lena’s house. Kara noticed that Lena’s bedroom window was open, and peered inside. Lena was asleep on the bed, with Caoimhe by her side. Caoimhe lifted her head upon smelling Kara.

“Hullo Caoimhe!” Kara whispered, landing softly in Lena’s room and patting the dog on the head. “What a good girl you are. Why is Lena in bed? Hmm? It’s just past eight o’clock.” Kara noticed that Lena was still dressed, her stockinged feet poking out under the sheets. “Lena?” Kara said softly, sitting down on the bed beside Lena. She shook Lena gently by the shoulder. Lena stirred. “Lena? It’s just me. Is everything all right? I didn’t think you’d already be asleep.”

Lena rolled over and opened her eyes, looking straight at Kara. “How did you get in here?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

“Open window,” Kara said.

“Huh. Why are you in uniform?”

“I went to visit Sara with Agent Sharpe. I think she’s actually very nice, she’s just scared and she puts on a front to try and be brave. But it’s so hard being stoic and brave all the time. And I think she had to fight for her position in Naval Intelligence, and has to fight to keep it and continually prove her worth and fight just to be noticed, and it seems that Sara is the only one she really lets her guard down around, but the way she’s been with Alex and I over the past day, she really just needs some friends and - you don’t know who I’m talking about.”

Lena shook her head and sat up. Her hair was falling out and Kara couldn’t help but admire how beautiful Lena was in the soft evening light. “But Sara…?”

“Oh, Sara’s quite all right. Well, a bit worse for wear, but she will be all right. The uniforms were really just to make sure we got our way. Made the visit seem more offical and I think it allowed us more time. The hospital staff were a bit unsure what to make of a couple of uniformed lady-officers.”

“Who is this Agent Sharpe?”

Kara remembered that she had omitted Ava’s name from her phone calls with Lena that morning. “Ava is - well, she’s Sara’s, ah, special friend. Like us, but possibly even more.”

“Is that possible?”

“With Sara Lance? I think anything’s possible.”

A half-laugh, half-sob escaped Lena. “Kara, I’m so sorry.”

“What - why?”

“What’s wrong with Sara? Is she hurt?”

Kara filled Lena in on all she wanted to know, and a lot more about Agent Sharpe, all the while holding Lena’s hands.

“It’s my fault.”

“No. It is not your fault, Lena,” Kara said, feeling as though she got a punch in the guts every time Lena blamed herself.

Lena looked away from Kara, blinking back tears. “There’s more to it than you know.”

“More to what?”

Lena bit her lip then continued. “When Lex left, when he took everything, he also took half a dozen of my notebooks. They were in the lab but - they were mine, Kara. And they…” Lena swallowed and composed herself. “Everything in them was hypothetical. Or at least I thought it was. To work, I would have needed equipment and expertise I just didn’t have. I was missing some theories and didn’t have the resources for research. I - I don’t even know if anything in any of those books is really possible. I didn’t know that Lex looked that them. But the fact that he took them… I can’t help thinking there was something there.”

“What were the notes on?” Kara asked, never letting go of Lena’s hands and giving a squeeze of encouragement.

Lena gave a small shrug. “All sorts of things. Wind turbines. Theories on diesel engines. Theoretical chemistry for more efficient motor fuel. Rubber that didn’t wear down so quickly, lubricants mostly for agricultural machinery and trains. Thoughts on weather and atmospheric pressure, and ways to counter the effects of salt water and sea spray to slow rusting. Lots of thoughts on more efficient ways of sheep farming, in especially around breeding and sheering. Ways to improve sound quality on the wireless. Comments on crop rotations and pesticides. Machines to help with accounting. There was more I can’t remember.”

“Lena,” Kara said, grinning widely, her eyes glowing with admiration. “You were trying to fix the world. Make it a better place. All those ideas, that all sounds brilliant, Lena.”

Lena shook her head, full of doubt. “Lex didn’t want my ideas on agriculture and accounting. For me, those were the most practical. That was the world we lived in. He wouldn’t have taken my notebooks for those. He wanted my more far-fetched theories. The ones he could weaponise…”

“If he steals your ideas and turns them into something awful, that is not on you.”

“But Sara…”

“Is not on you, and we don’t know if it’s related to the letter. Until she’s well enough to debrief, we won’t know what happened or why.”

“Lex will use my ideas to hurt people. I know that, Kara. I know him. Any good I ever try to do, he always finds a way of twisting it. Warping it. Taking it from me.”

“Not this time. And he will not take me.”

Lena’s body shuddered as she forced back tears. Kara wrapped her arms around Lena. “He has to be stopped, Kara,” Lena mumbled into Kara’s shoulder, tears finally falling. "Permanently. So long as Lex Luthor is alive, he can and will hurt me and hurt others. He must be stopped.”


End file.
